I was speechless.ДЇinally, I was annoyed by the remix album Chant Down Babylon where several artistes covered BobвЂ™s classics. My next Marley moment was my first visit to a British Pub with a group of friends and seeing my Eastern European friends get down to the EDM version of Iron Lion Zion which I had never heard before. (P.s вЂ“ I was later accepted to teach at the alma mater that rejected my sixth form applicationwith my lowly honors degree ?) That song remains part of my inner consciousness, a praise and worship song, and a source of peace and comfort. It remains one of JamaicaвЂ™s best choice for a solid, all round High School experience. Meadowbrook turned out to have been the right environment for me to grow. I did well at Meadowbrook, became deputy head girl, learnt to play chess and was helped with mapping the path to UWI. Before then, I did not know that God spoke in Marley and reggae language. On my way home, the words: вЂњDonвЂ™t worry about a thing cause every little thing is gonna be alright.вЂќ This was the Holy Spirit providing me with reassurance. I submitted the application anxiously because all the sixth form programes were filling up fast. I had not heard much about that school before. Many moons ago, when I couldnвЂ™t get into sixth form at my alma mater (because I was just shy of the requisite CXCs ), I went with my friends to apply to Meadowbrook High. What are your favourite Bob Marley songs? How do they inspire you? There is no song that lifts my spirits like вЂњThree Little BirdsвЂќ, providing solace, comfort and hope that the sun will rise, the light will shine, and things will get better.Д¬ause every little thing gonna be alrightвЂќ Then I get to this refrain, and I know what to do вЂ“ switch off the news and take action, no matter how small: I find myself wailing the first line of this song whenever I read some terrible news. This song reminds me how important it is to be grounded in my values and to do the right thing, In moments when I feel to give up, his вЂњDonвЂ™t give up the fightвЂќ refrain urges me forward for another day, another try.Дespite the mournful melody, Bob sings that no matter what, the sun shines вЂ“ even on a sub-zero winter day in Toronto, I can sing: So when you riding through the ruts, donвЂ™t you complicate your mind ДonвЂ™t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality, yeah! вЂњLife is one big road with lots of signs, IsnвЂ™t this the prescription for a happy life вЂ“ recognise the ups and downs, keep it simple, keep moving towards your vision, come together (you canвЂ™t do it alone) and just live? Try reading the lyrics as poetry for a different experience and perhaps deeper meaning вЂ“ I have included the link to the lyrics for each song. These Bob Marley songs in particular, usher me through such moments into joy. Despite leaving this earthly plane decades ago, he lives.Д«ob has been an inspiration to me in moments when I am challenged, afraid or hurting. What I do know is that he spoke his truth fearlessly, inspiring and continuing to inspire freedom fighters and those who seek liberation from the torture of their own souls. I donвЂ™t know if Bob set out to be great, to leave a legacy. Wherever I travel, Bob is there вЂ“ the buses in Dar es Salaam emblazoned with his likeness, blaring his music Marcello, our musician guide in Rio whose knowledge of English is little more than the lyrics of all BobвЂ™s songs on T-shirts in curio shops in every Caribbean island. A great man had passed, but we had no idea then how much greater he would become.Д«ob MarleyвЂ™s music lives on to inspire millions throughout the world. вЂњBob Marley has diedвЂќ the chair of the meeting announced, as we sank into our seats and silence. I had just arrived at a meeting at the Jamaica EmployersвЂ™ Federation on Ruthven Road in Kingston. Like JFK, MLK, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, Bob was one of those people who you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard of his death. If you listen carefully now you will hearвЂќ вЂњThereвЂ™s a natural mystic blowing through the air Bob passed вЂњearly,вЂќ although I once heard an interview with someone who said Bob had told him he would die at age 36, which he did. As a teenager, I remember seeing him tooling around Kingston in his BMW, which he declared stood for вЂњBob Marley and the Wailers.вЂќ I saw him perform live a few times, the most memorable being Reggae Sunsplash at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay. February 6 this year would have been Bob MarleyвЂ™s 73rd birthday.

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